Elves
The Elves of Eidenheim are a humanoid race, with tanned skin and pointed ears. They hail from the Continent of Eidenheim. They are thought to be long lived, but in fact do not live significantly longer than humans. The misconception is due to the fact the Elves do not have an aversion to magic, and Magic slows the aging process. There are several distinct Elven cultures. Elven Cultures There are several Elven cultures distinct enough from one another that they are considered to be sub-races by the Elves themselves despite no biological distinction. Estier Elves The Estier Elves are the native inhabitants of Al-Jazraby. The Estier Elves established the Tower of Ballsharoth, a centre for magical learning which became the centre of Estieran culture, after Rakknorakus. The Tower was destroyed by the Human God Eiden, and the surrounding area was made barren. Estier culture was shattered into diverse tribal cultures as the Elves abandoned the Tower and surrounding area to find land that could support agriculture. They were the first Elves to establish formalized governments, abandoning a tribal hunter gatherer way of life, with Rujash establishing the first Elven Kingdom from the City of Kish. While the first Elven Kingdoms were Estieran, many Estier Elves maintained their traditional tribal culture, long after the majority of Eidenheim had adopted more structured governance. The tribal way of life was considered brutal, and even savage, by the majority of other races. Religion The majority of Estier Elves worshipped the Mage-Lords of Ballsharoth after Argos established the practice within the Empire of Kadak. The Mage-Lords were Elven mages who constructed the Tower of Ballsharoth as a centre for magical learning. The human God Eiden destroyed the Tower, and it was thought that the Mage-Lords were killed, however Argos (who forged the Kadak Empire) claimed that they escaped into another dimension, and could influence the dimension of Eidenheim if one had faith in them. The worship of the Ballsharoth Pantheon was theologically opposed to the religion of the humans (worship of Eiden), as the two religions have extremely divergent accounts of the Tower of Ballsharoth. The Elves believe that the Tower of Ballsharoth was constructed by Elven mages who wished to unite all magic users in the Realm. They state that Eiden returned to Eidenheim and demanded that the Ballsharoth mages submit to his authority and destroyed the tower when they refused. The humans believe that Eiden returned to Eidenheim and established the Tower himself in order to regulate magic and prevent another Rakknorakus. They believe that the Elven Gods betrayed Eiden, in their lust for power, and that Eiden was forced to destroy the Tower to prevent another Rakknorakus. History The first Estier Elf Kingdom was the City-Kingdom Shik, established approximately 4,000 BC in the North-East of Al-Jazraby. The next City-Kingdoms to be founded were Eb-Al in 3,200 BC and Hir-Mari in 2,900 BC in the North-West of Al-Jazraby. Shik expanded, conquering neighbouring Elven tribes, evolving into the Senmerian Empire around 3,000 BC, and Eb-Al and Hir-Mari also expanded their territory by bringing neighbouring Elven tribes. The City-Kingdom of Elmora was established in 2,400 BC. Around 2,200 BC the Empire of Senmeria evolved into the Empire of Kadak, conquering the entirety of Northern Al-Jazraby through diplomacy and military maneouvering. The city of Eb-Al was destroyed during this expansion. The Empire of Kadak was unable to sustain its control over the diverse Tribal cultures under its control and collapsed in 2,100 BC, with the extent of organized rule being limited to cities, and the majority of Elves returning to pre-Rujash tribal cultures. The only Kingdoms able to influence outside a single city were the remnants of Kadak, Saghal and Gitu. In 2,000 BC Northern Al-Jazraby was united under a Second Senmerian Empire, known as the Empire of Urhar. Urhar was also unable to maintain unity amongst the Estier Elves and collapsed in 1,900 BC. The collapse of this second Empire was less disastrous than the collapse of the first, with several Kingdoms emerging from the ruins of the Empire. These were Eshrunna, Al-Asryia, Mair, and Isryia, with Isryia being the largest Kingdom. In approximately 1,800 BC Isryia splintered into the Kingdom of Ball-Isryia, Alsria and Isryia Proper. By 1,700 BC Ball-Isryia had conquered Isryia Proper and Alsria, and also conquered many Elven Tribes to the West. By 1,600 BC the Elven tribes had driven the Ball-Isryian border back, and Men invading from the Sea carved out territory in the East of Ball-Isryia and conquered Alsria. In 1,500 BC the nomadic Estieran tribes to the East of Al-Jazraby united into the Meittan Coalition to protect Estieran lands from raiders of the Sparosian Heittan Empire. By 1,400 BC the Kingdom of Asryia had joined the Meittan coalition. The Elden Empire of Eptor had subjugated may Estieran tribes in the east of Asryia by this time, and Ball-Isryia had driven out the Humans. By 1,300 BC the Meittan Coalition had morphed from an alliance between the Kingdom of Asryia and Elven tribes, to the Elven tribes being subjects of Asryia, with the exception of the Tribe Carchos, who settled in their own city and declared themselves an independent Kingdom. Asryia clashed with the Heittan Empire along their Western border, and expanded their Tribal holdings until Ball-Isryia was on their Eastern Border. By 1,100 BC the the majority of Tribal Estierans rejected Asryian rule. The Estieran Elves subjugated enslaved by the Eptorans in the East of Al-Jazraby rose up and drove out the Elden, establishing two independent Kingdoms: Phonos and Philos. Elmora collapsed into independent tribes around this time. By 1,000 BC the Eidenmen, who had resided in the South of Al-Jazraby, established Asraheim in Eastern Al-Jazraby, absorbing Philos and co-existing with Phonos. Asraheim split into Jaheim, Araheim and Asraheim around 900 BC, and also lost some territory to an Eptoran incursion. In Southern Al-Jazraby the Kingdom of Asab was established. The Kingdom of Tyrheim declared independence from Asraheim in 800 BC and Philos also clashed with Asraheim. The Kingdom of Urrat was established from the Elven tribes to the North of Al-Jazraby, with tribes banding together to fight the expanding Kingdom of Asryia. As of 700 BC Asryia had become an Empire, conquering Asraheim, and the vast majority of tribes in Northern Al-Jazraby. Urrat resisted Asyrian invasions, and the Elmoran tribes reformed their kingdom to protect their lands. The Kingdom of Meden formed in Eastern Al-Jazraby, out of tribes wishing to resist Asryian incursions as well, as did the Kingdom of Anshar to the South-East of Asryia. By 600 BC Asryia had become the Empire of Ball-Isryia. The Kingdom of Meden had conquered all tribes to the East of Ball-Isryia,Tyrheim had rebelled, but otherwise Ball-Isryia was the dominant power in Al-Jazraby, with the only real threat being Eptor to the South-West. During this time to the far-east, on the border of Axcia and Al-Jazraby a Fey-Folk, Estier Elf kingdom had been established. Meden conquered Uttar in 591 BC. By 550 BC the Empire of Persith had united Eastern Al-Jazraby right up to the Border to Axcia. Ball-Isryia had united all of Western Al-Jazraby (with the exception of the South, which was still tribal). By 540 BC Persith had expanded their borders well into Sparosian territory, and by 530 BC Persith had absorbed Ball-Isryia. By 520 BC Persith had conquered Eptor. They fought fiercely with the Sparosian Kingdoms of Geroc, and in 470 BC they lost territory along their Western border to Sparosians. This was the first territory Persith had lost since they had begun their expansion. By 400 BC the Elden overthrew their Persith overlords and re-established Eptor, but Eptor was reconquered by Persith in 370 BC. From 340 to 330 BC approximately half of Persith was conquered by the Sparosian Alxos, who had united the Sparosians, and by 320 BC all of Persith was under Sparosian rule. This changed in 300 BC when the Saylid Empire was established after Alxos's Empire splintered. The Saylid Empire was ruled by Estierans, and originally comprised of all traditional Estieran territory formerly ruled by Persith. By 270 BC the Saylids had taken back some Persith holdings in Sparosian territory. The Kingdom of Parsith split from Saylid in 240 BC. By 130 BC Parsith ruled the Eastern half of Northern Al-Jazraby, and Saylid ruled the Western half.. By 30 BC the Westier Elves of the Rhum Imperium had conquered Far Western Al-Jazraby. Sparos Elves The Sparos Elves live in the Grecos, to the South-East of Eidenheim. They were the second Elven culture to adopt formal governance, at Aminos. Around 4,000 BC the Mages College was established, the first centre of magical learning since the Tower of Ballsharoth. The members of this council are considered to have ascended to Godhood and are worshiped by both the Sparos and Westier Elves. Westier Elves The Westier Elves were the final Elves to adopt formal governance. They worship the same Gods as the Sparos Elves, but insist that they were Westier Elves before ascending to Godhood.